Digital Press - Movies and Media

Screening Room

Here's a sampler of stuff we've come across in our travels. Some of it is informative, some of it is a bit off-center, but all of it is right up our alley. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and prepare to be entertained...

COMMERCIALS

GAME SHOWS

HUMOR

MISC

C O M M E R C I A L S
20th Century Fox commercials Here's 3 classic Atari VCS/2600 ads from the "Games of the Century" company - Mega Force, Turmoil, and Worm War I. We know there were also commercials made for at least 4 other games that we're still on the lookout for. TRON movie fans will recognize some similarities with the Worm War I ad, and that's because the same company that produced it - MAGI - also worked on the movie! The commercial was directed by Richard Taylor and won the first Clio award for Computer Animation.
Hills department store - Intellivision ad Love how the cartridges are referred to as "video game cassettes", which was a common mistake most people made back then.
Electronic Pipeline ad Rob Newman, an Engineer in Atari's L.A. lab, was instrumental in the development of wireless data distribution technology which led to his becoming a founding manager of Electronic Publishing Systems (EPS), a joint venture of Atari and Activision in late 1983. EPS developed the "Electronic Pipeline", a game service for the Atari 2600 that was to sell wireless game cartridges with which users could select and play up to 40 different games each month for a low monthly subscription fee. The service was in alpha testing and four days from installing the transmission equipment in the first test market when it was indefinitely postponed due to Warner's sale of Atari in 1984. Footage courtesy of Rob Newman.
PlayCable TV spots Here's another DP exclusive. Actually, here's FIVE! We're pretty sure these haven't been online until now. All feature famed professional baseball player Mickey Mantle as the spokesperson for PlayCable's short-lived game distribution service.
Intellivision theatrical commercial! CGE museum curator Larry "retrogmr" Anderson recently had his 35mm reel of this 1982 Intellivision theatrical commercial transferred "for y'all". Done in the style of a newscast (with rotoscoping used to portray the anchors), it features footage of Space Battle, Night Stalker, Utopia, TRON Deadly Discs, Boxing, Tennis, Skiing, and Star Strike. We don't know what movie(s) this was shown with, so if anyone remembers please let us know.
Video game cereal commercials Check it out - Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Ms. Pac-Man, and Pac-Man cereal! It's a tasty... Ummm! Doesn't that look good! It's a tasty delicious little snack! Ummmm! Let's try some, shall we? Doesn't that look absolutely yumscious! Ohhhh! Let's try some, shall we? eats spoonful ACK! The marshmallows -- they do NOTHING!!!
Gauntlet Atari coin-op Animated TV spot for Atari's classic D&D game. Aside from the somewhat 'cheesy' animation, did you notice the narrator sounds an awful lot like the one in the game? Could be the same guy, but 20 years later no one seems to remember. Footage courtesy of Alan Murphy.
Atari's Dig Dug theatrical commercial! Toby "y-bot" Wickwire was kind enough to transfer this long-lost commercial from 16mm film for us. It's also one of the longest commercials we've ever seen, at nearly two-and-a-half minutes! Plus we learned it won a Clio award back in the day, and it was the 1st arcade video game to be advertised on the big screen - according to an April 1983 article in Videogaming Illustrated. Cool stuff.
Another Mountain King commercial Ripped from an old MTV tape, Atari 2600 fans have another classic commercial to add to their archives. This Mountain King is similar to the previously unseen version we ran here a few months back (see below) but with a live actor.
Long-Lost CBS commercials We've uncovered an original VHS of Atari 2600 video game commercials that NONE of us have ever actually seen aired - Mountain King, Solar Fox, Tunnel Runner, and Wing. Special thanks to Greg "agent57" Bendokus for converting these for us!
Vintage Nintendo NES commercials The ultimate in 80's soft-core corn - overacting teens ready to explode with delight in front of their Nintendo Entertainment Systems. It's understandable... they had R.O.B. and games like Zelda, Duck Hunt, Tetris, and Hogan's Alley! Anything could happen. Anything. And it usually did. Lasers shot from TV sets, warriors smashed through bedroom walls, and houses literally blasted off the ground like Saturn rockets from all the excitement! Here's a dozen commercials to help you relive all that hyper-active marketing.
G A M E S H O W S
CGE2K1 "Extended Play" clip
CGE2K2 "Pulse" clip
CGE2K3 "Filter" clip
H U M O R
8-Bit Theater By Brian Clevinger and TLF High art meets low-rez... or something like that. 4 episodes worth. Shockwave Flash - click the pictures to play!
All Your Base Are Belong To Us Shockwave Flash - click the picture to play! (to view the original series of screens as they originally appeared on Mega-Drive, click HERE)
Badger, Badger, Badger By weebls-stuff.com Some things simply defy definition and yet are completely and utterly cool. Well, you've got badgers aplenty, the occasional mushroom, and a SNAKE! This little web-chant is rather catchy and unforgettable. You have been warned. Shockwave Flash - click the picture to play!
Dungeons & Dragons - an 8-Bit Re-enactment By Cyber Moon Studios Inspired by 8-Bit Theater. Learn the awful truth about D&D and the danger it possesses... to YOU!
Frogger By Adult Swim. Hey, it could happen.
Harder Better Faster Stronger By Daft Punk. Hoppin' music video featuring some familiar NES characters (apparently the main singer is Alex from River City Ransom fame). Catchy tune. The load time is a bit much if you're not on broadband, but you'll be tapping your feet to this one if you're willing to wait for it. Shockwave Flash - click the picture to play!
I Love Egg Reminiscent of the Kikkoman advertisement (see below) and clearly "straight from Japan", you'll quite likely find yourself singing this song in the most inopportune moments of your life after viewing this. You've been warned. For more info, check out the site of origin www.iloveegg.com Shockwave Flash - click the picture to play!
Kikkoman I wish I could credit someone, but the whole thing is in Japanese. So if you know who's responsible for this unbelievably funny bit of advertising, please let me know. The best part of this is that you'll laugh your ass off at the video but the product theme song is gonna be stuck in your head for quite some time. Sorry about that. Shockwave Flash - click the picture to play!
MAMEjump By Grand Master Peter www.powerstrike.net Any fan of the 80's will instantly identify with this tribute to platformers and games that feature a "jump" button. Belted out in classic style by Donkey Kong, who sounds an awful lot like David Lee Roth, a whirlwind of classic video game screens await. Great fun. Shockwave Flash - click the picture to play!
Mario Twins A very (intentionally?) amateurish production featuring two guys "singing" the Mario Bros. theme songs while rather crudely animated graphics play in your window. Along the way a cat will get hit with poop. Weird, funny stuff. Music by Group X and art by Keith McKnight. Shockwave Flash - click the picture to play!
MDM3 By Randy Solem www.videogamedc.com Well, you get Mario and the princess... you get a few Toads. And even a Koopa or two. But most importantly, you get them groovin' to a bunch of 80's dance rap! Shockwave Flash - click the picture to play!
Mortak Kombat vs Street Fighter By Proxicide When fighters collide, drama ensues. The animation is top-notch, even besting the games! Shockwave Flash - click the pictures to play both episodes.
Pac-Man prank #1 The Nutty Professor's got nuthin' on this lady.
Pac-Man prank #2 By R�mi GAILLARD Dangerously funny videos created and produced by R�mi GAILLARD. Check out some of his other videos on www.nimportequi.com.
Pac-Man puppet show By Gametap Forget that Williiam guy, now THIS is art! Ah, you gotta admire the classics. "Mirra mirra - Pac-Man is victorioso!" As well he should be, children...
Pong Movie By Oska Software. Hysterical "vision" of the world within the simple boundaries of Pong. Lots of cartoon violence! Shockwave Flash - click the picture to play!
Seinfeld - The Frogger Episode A classic bit the instant it aired.
Strategy Guide: Bubble Bobble By Needle Industries (Nick Ross) www.sgcartoon.com Seems we learn a little more about Guido with each episode of this fabulous series. Here, he shares time with his sister Nadia as they attempt to beat the incredibly difficult Bubble Bobble. Shockwave Flash - click the picture to play!
Strategy Guide: Ghosts 'n Goblins By Needle Industries (Nick Ross) www.sgcartoon.com Guido is back to share his thoughts on the Nintendo NES version of Ghosts 'n Goblins, quite possibly the hardest game ever created. We get lots of laughs, including an insight into the heritage of Guido himself. It's hysterical, you MUST watch. Shockwave Flash - click the picture to play!
Strategy Guide: Gradius By Needle Industries (Nick Ross) www.sgcartoon.com The first installment of space alien "Guido" and his tips for playing our favorite classic video games. Great fun! Shockwave Flash - click the picture to play!
Super Mario Bros. - 1940s style By "DorkyDorkOne" We never knew that game was THAT old. The things ya learn on the interweb.
Super Mario Land I-IV By Jeremy Simms/Bigfoot Productions 4 excellent parodies of Super Mario Bros that make use of audio clips from popular movies and TV shows, all done to GameBoy-style graphics. Shockwave Flash - click the pictures to play!
Super Mario Splat By CyberMundos.com Really short gag. It might make you laugh, it might make you groan, but either way it's short =) Shockwave Flash - click the picture to play!
Three's Company Here's a clip from one episode that features Jack and Janet playing an Atari VCS, while Mr. Furley looks on with hungry, wanton eyes. However, the sound f/x are most definitely not from any Atari game (or system) that we know of :) This is a 4mb AVI file.
Zelda Movie Have a look at all the trouble Link has gotten into since his 8-bit NES adventures! Some good stuff here. Shockwave Flash - click the picture to play!
video game hamster Very creative 'live' version of a typical NES game featuring a hamster as the player.
M I S C
CES Winter 1983 TV report from the floor of the 1983 Winter CES show in Las Vegas.
"I Wanna Go Back" Great collage of some classic early 80s arcades.
Imagic docu - "Making of Atlantis"! Back in 1982 the PBS show, Enterprise, showcased Imagic in one of their episodes. This is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at one of the more well-known game companies during the 'golden age' of video games.
Mr. Rogers Does Donkey Kong Ok, maybe not. But he does take a peek at the goods.
Pac-Man Fever By Buckner & Garcia What does a disco ball and scantily-clad dancers have to do with Pac-Man? I dunno, man.... it was the 80s. Nothing made sense. But back then, this song was nearly as catchy and addictive as the game.